Coyotes and feral dogs are opportunistic feeders. If they live in the area, their presence around a poultry house is not remarkable. They will kill the poultry for food, but they can easily be prevented from gaining access to the house. Complete confinement of the poultry is the best way to stop predation. Heavy wire should be used to cover all openings. Sanitation and the proper disposal of mortalities will cut down on the attraction of coyotes to the area.
Predator calling and shooting may be used in most states to harvest these animals. Predator calling is a mechanical device that attracts the animals within shooting range. Trapping is also an effective control method. Traps and trap sizes as well as hunting and trapping seasons may be regulated in some places. Leghold traps that do not harm the animal or traps with padded jaws may offer the best control in some situations.
Controlling animals and pests in poultry houses involves a combination of resource management, sanitation, and exclusion, and some special measures such as chemicals, hunting, or trapping.
Reference
Controlling Coyotes and Dogs Around Poultry Houses. 1990. DTP Circular 12/90-017. Cooperative Extension Service, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.